STARWARD
INDUSTRIES
COMPANY HISTORY
Starward Industries is led by Marek Markuszewski acting as Chief Executive Officer, the main shareholder, and the author behind the concept of
the studio's first video game.
Beforehand, Markuszewski had managed the Cracow branch of CD Projekt RED, which he co-founded, Markuszewski, as Senior Producer. Within a year after leaving the position, he managed to build a team of extremely talented and experienced game developers, obtained the license for adaptation of an outstanding Sci-Fi novel, and created the detailed business plan of the new venture.
In June 2018, Markuszewski raised the first round of financing from a group of individual investors, and began working on the action plan to establish the company structure and a long-term operational and financial plan. It led to incorporating the venture on September 10, 2018 as the joint-stock company. The company was registered on September 27, 2018, and in October of the same year, the company began production with a complete team on board.
COMPANY PROFILE
Starward Industries SA is an independent video game developer in the AA+ segment, focusing on producing and publishing videogames for personal computers and consoles, backed by a team with many years of experience in companies such as CD Projekt Red, Reality Pump or Techland.
The company is developing a first-person sci-fi thriller based on a novel by a famous Polish writer with global recognition and recorded book sales of tens of millions, Stanisław Lem. Starward Industries has signed up an exclusive license with Lem estate to adapt one of his novels as a videogame.
The aforementioned project uses the Unreal Engine technology provided by Epic Games, which supports all major hardware platforms, operating systems and video game consoles. This engine is being updated to support new technologies, staying in sync with the progressing trends in videogames development.
STRATEGY
The company intends to build virtual worlds under umbrella brands, which will benefit from marketing efforts as supporting sales of not one title, but also the whole series of games under a shared brand. For promoting and marketing of the first game, the studio intends to use the platform related to a global recognition of Stanisław Lem as a renowned science fiction writer. This brand is going to open the door to existing fandom of the novel, and to opinion leaders and a range of specialist media and cultural, artistic and scientific institutions. Leveraging this reference, the studio will communicate their value offering via opinion leaders and influencers in professional and consumer segment, supported by a substantial cash budget to maximise the reach with intent to kickstart and support sales of the first game as soon as it’s been released.
The studio wants to build their unique proposition
and sustainable business model by adopting the
following strategic values:
-
creating interactive virtual worlds that stretch to several single product in various media, while based on compelling, engaging gameplay experience
-
high intellectual and emotional value resonating with the global culture, which in the case of the first game relates to the original, proprietary approach to the story licensed exclusively from the estate of one of the most renowned sci-fi writer, Stanisław Lem.
LEADERSHIP
MANAGEMENT BOARD
Marek Markuszewski
Chief Executive Officer
The originator and co-founder of Starward Industries, with several years of experience from a graphic
designer to producer, to co-founder of the Cracow branch of CD Projekt RED, as well as project manager and senior producer of The Witcher 3, Blood and Wine and Cyberpunk 2077.
Responsible for the studio's strategy, team management production.
Maciej Dobrowolski
Board Member
Has many years of experience in the sales departments of international companies, advertising agencies, and marketing departments. He was responsible for brand strategies, market communication, and the implementation of extensive image and sales campaigns. Shareholder of gamedev companies.
Responsible for business contacts, company communication, competitive positioning, market research, and production support.
Michał Pietrzkiewicz
Board Member
CFA charterholder and investment advisor. ACCA Member and Polish statutory auditor. Seasoned individual investor. Graduate of the University of Economics in Krakow.
Holding vast experience from differenet roles in multinational organizations. Former shared service center CFO and former Internal Audit Director at an asset management company. Bringing subject matter expertise in corporate governance and finance.
Responsible for the corporate area.
SUPERVISORY BOARD
Wojciech Weiss
Chairman
Wojciech worked as an advisor to Fortune 500 companies, he also has managerial experience gained in international corporations. Active investor on WSE, NewConnect and international markets. Co-founder of Starward Industries. He supports the Company in the corporate and business management area.
The member is not involved in entities nor is personally holding shares representing not less than
5% of the total number of votes at the Annual General Meeting of the Company.
Michał Siennicki
Vice chairman
The independent Member of the Supervisory Board, representative of individual investors.
An active investor on the WSE and NewConnect with 15 years of experience, for the past 8 years he has focused his investments on the GameDev industry.
Historian by profession.
The member is not involved in entities nor is personally holding shares representing not less than
5% of the total number of votes at the Annual General Meeting of the Company.
Marcin Górecki
Member
A renowned influencer in videogaming, a former editor of Secret Service magazine, publisher and editor-in-chief of NEO+ magazine, editor-in-chief of Stuff magazine. He supports the company as gameplay consultant.
From 2010 through 2013 served as a member of the supervisory board at 11 bit studios SA, currently he is
a supervisory board member of Wooden Alien SA.
The member is not involved in entities nor is personally holding shares representing not less than
5% of the total number of votes at the Annual General Meeting of the Company.
Marta Adamska
Member
Business Development Manager with 6 years of experience in the gaming industry acquired at GOG.com, previously worked as an analyst in the commercial real estate industry. Graduated from CASS Business School, London with a master's degree in "Real Estate Investment and Econometrics". She has always been a gamer.
With her experience in the gaming industry from a business perspective, combined with her first-hand experience as a passionate player, by executing supervision she supports the company on product quality, business development, marketing strategy, partner contracts, establishing and communicating with key "players" in the market.
The member is not involved in entities nor is personally holding shares representing not less than 5% of the total number of votes at the Annual General Meeting of the Company.
Bernard Gudowski
Member
Bernard is a director, head of post merger integration and separation at SIX Group, the operator of infrastructure for the Swiss and Spanish financial centers. He also serves as chairman of the supervisory board at Event Horizon S.A. and as partner at Chiswick Creative Ventures*.
Over the past decade, Bernard’s primary focus was on advising private equity and venture capital funds on maximizing value from acquisitions as well as supporting leading global corporations in planning and execution of complex cross-border integrations and divestitures.
He co-founded two technology startups and is an active angel investor in the video gaming and biotech industries.
*As a shareholder of Chiswick Creative Ventures Limited, member is involved in entities holding shares representing not less than 5% of the total number of votes at the Annual General Meeting of the Company.
CORPORATE TEAM
Andrzej Szafraniec
Chief Legal Officer
Advises the Company on the legal side and coordinates and supervises all legal processes in the Company, from current affairs to significant events such as share issues or introduction of shares into public trading.
He has many years of experience in legal advisory and management of legal processes of companies from various industries, including the GameDev industry (Wooden Alien SA, Moonlit SA, Far From Home SA). in companies listed on the NewConnect market.
Dominika Wcisło
Junior Legal Advisor
Responsible for supporting legal processes and ongoing legal advice in the Company.
She gained experience advising capital companies as an in-house lawyer.
Marta Skwarska
Administrative Manager
Associated with the gaming industry since 2006.
She participated in the life and development of companies such as 11 bit studios SA and CD Projekt SA.
She has been associated with administration, organization and finances since the beginning of her professional career.
Kamila Wojciechowska
Operating Officer
Associated with the gaming industry since 2016.
He has over 10 years of experience in managing and settlement of projects subsidized from national and EU funds.
In the company, she is responsible for supporting corporate processes.
SHAREHOLDERS
As of October 12, 2022